Is physical exercise or melatonin supplement more effective to improve sleep quality in children with ASD?

Introduction. Previous study showed that physical exercise can modulate the endogenous melatonin level in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and improved their sleep quality. However, it remains unclear whether physical exercise or melatonin supplement or a combination of both is more effective to improve sleep quality in the population. The purpose of this study is to answer this research question by comparing the effectiveness of three types of interventions (physical exercise vs melatonin supplement or combination of both) in improving sleep quality in children with ASD. Methods. Sixty-two children diagnosed with ASD were randomly assigned into one of four groups: cycling (n = 18), melatonin supplement (n = 14), combination of both (n = 12) and placebo control group (n = 18). Four sleep parameters (sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, sleep duration and wake after sleep onset) were assessed. Results. Results revealed a significant improvement in sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency and sleep duration in all the intervention groups but not in the placebo control group. However, no significant group differences were found among the intervention groups (p < .05). Conclusions. Our findings suggest the equivalent effectiveness of physical exercise and melatonin supplement intake in improving sleep quality in children with ASD. Copyright © 2023 ASPA.